help, powerglide wont shift into high gear.
 

I am hoping this is just an adjustment but doubt it. My father and I just had a freshly restored 1959 impala convertible delivered from Kansas to us here in New Jersey. The car is just as described except the powerglide wont shift into high gear. The seller only put test miles on the car and never drove it more than around the neigborhood so he never noticed it not shifting. The trans in supposed to be the original from 1959 and is cast iron and rebuilt from a transmission shop in Kansas. Hoping this is a simple fix and we dont have to tear into a fresh restoration to find the problem. Any ideas?

Re: help, powerglide wont shift into high gear.
 

My 69 impala did the same thing changed the fluid and filter and it stopped.It has a powerglide too.I heard alot of people say not to change the fluid on old transmissions.But my powerglide builds up alot of gunk.I noticed alot of transmissions taking a crap lately even on newer vehicles!

Re: help, powerglide wont shift into high gear.
 

Its the 700r4 you odn't change the fluid if no one has changed it for more then 75,000 miles, the new fluid loosen gunk that will kill it.

Were talking a 2 speed powerglide?

I miss Curtis RIP but he had one once that was stock in an old Nova and we just laughed our asses off in that car all the time as it would not shift into 2nd till over 50-60 it just rev'ed n rev'ed n rev'ed, and we just laughed n luaghed waiting ofr that sucker to shift.

Re: help, powerglide wont shift into high gear.
 

Make sure there is manifold vacuum to the modulator valve on the passenger side of the transmission (circle). Does the indicator on the dash work? Its been awhile since i worked on a cast powerglide...Isnt the shift pattern backwards on them, Could be a shift linkage adjustment issue....If all that checks out, I would take a look at the governor.

Re: help, powerglide wont shift into high gear.
 

Heres the pic & as you can see...No transmission pan to drop for service.